Archive for the ‘Human Microbiome: chronic infections’ Category

We’ve been working with biofilms in our clients at New Leaf for around 4 years now. Medically it takes at least 9 months of very strong anti-biotics (imagine the damage!) to break down the biofilms enough to release the old and hidden infections that are creating low level inflammation in the body… Herbs, nutrients, kinesiology, acupuncture, Chi Nei Tsang abdominal massage – working together – work so much faster than damaging anti-biotics…

Biofilms form when bacteria adhere to surfaces in aqueous environments and begin to excrete a slimy, glue-like substance that can anchor them to all kinds of material. In a healthy gut that is filled with beneficial microflora, the biofilm that they create is thin mucus. This healthy gut biofilm is moistening, lubricating and anti-inflammatory and allows the passage of nutrients through the intestinal wall. Conversely, an unhealthy gut biofilm will promote inflammation and protect bacteria, parasites and yeast from the immune system and even the strongest medications (both herbal and pharmaceutical-grade).

In general, bacteria have two life forms during growth and proliferation. In one form, the bacteria exist as single, independent cells (planktonic bacteria) whereas in the other form, bacteria are organised into a biofilm aggregate. Acute infections are assumed to involve planktonic bacteria, which are generally treatable. However, where the bacteria succeed in forming a biofilm within the human host, the infection often turns out to be hard to treat and often develops into a chronic state. The important hallmarks of chronic biofilm-based infections are extreme resistance to antibiotics and many other antimicrobial agents, and an extreme capacity for evading the host defences.

Biofilms have the potential to cause a tremendous array of infections and diseases, and there is little doubt that biofilms are part of the ‘pathogenic mix’ that cause most or all chronic “autoimmune” and inflammatory diseases.
Biofilm are held together by a protective exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix. This matrix protects the bacteria from oxidative damage caused by antimicrobial agents and increases their resistance. One of the most effective ways to eliminate biofilm is to dissolve the EPS matrix with enzymes. The EPS matrix consists of proteins, nucleotides and saccharides. Specialized enzymes can break those components down, reducing them which weakens the matrix. For example, proteases can be used to break down the proteins that compose the EPS matrix. Glucoamylase, pectinase, cellulase and beta-glucanse can break down saccharides. Enzymes have the capacity to dissolve both bacterial and yeast biofilms.

Quite often biofilms are linked to previous gut infections, drugs such as anti-biotics, anti-inflammatories, vaccinations and more.

If you suspect biofilms are part of your health challenges, call us on 3348 6098

It doesn’t happen very often, but occasionally someone struggles with detox-side-effects of HCG…

We have a client at the moment who’s really struggling…. dizziness, tiredness, exhaustion. Why? Many people have heaps of energy on HCG due to the fact that as we’re releasing brown fat lots of minerals and vitamins are being released (it’s brown because of iron, zinc etc etc) BUT it also holds toxins.

Fat is an insulator. Our bloodstream is constantly removing toxins and either trying to remove them or storing them in our fat mass (if our organs of detoxification …are sluggish). This is a good thing – until we detoxifiy – then we need to support our organs of detoxification so that we can move forwards safely.

Dizziness, tiredness and exhaustionare generally a side-effect due to toxins being released back out into the bloodstream from the brown fat.

– As insulin is released from the tummy fat, we can get highs and lows of blood sugar– making us feel cranky and moody, hungry and challenged.

– As heavy metals are released from brown fat, they can bind with our minerals like magnesium, calcium, potassium – which can inhibit our body from relaxing our muscles and nerves, giving us cramps and muscle twitches and somtimes nerve pain.

– Fat (like cholesterol) that is known to store on capillary and artery walls doesn’t attach to the capilliaries or arteries unless it’s full of toxins – heavy metals, bacterial and viral particles, insulin…so as we get into deeper rounds of HCG and start moving this type of fat we can release old infections and feel a little sick or fluey(if the immune system isn’t coping with the levels of toxins being released).

Chromium Plus; Gluco Balance; Gymnema; Resist X; Lipoic Acid: if our insulin is out of whack on HCG we need at least 3-6 daily of one or a combination of these. Losing weight with these supplements can not only reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes but sometimes reverse it completely once your cells heal!

Ew!! Let’s talk yucky mucus! This is a fungal ball – the result of anti-bitoics which allow fungus to grow, and then the body releases mucus to sop up the fungus. Yuck!

Research is showing that biofilm (a mucus substance that is released to ‘sop up’ bacterial, fungal and viral particles) in the average person – with a normal history of vaccines and anti-biotic use, is holding up to 20 chronic infections in our bodies. Why?

Anti-biotic use: one dose of anti-biotics can destroy our gut lining, and our bacterial, viral and fungal combination in our gut for up to 7 years IF we haven’t done anything to repair the dose. Because anti-biotics upset our gut lining, our body makes biofilm to help to soothe it, often containing the bug-particles that we’ve been killing off. Anti-biotics are anti-bacterial – but they may allow candida, fungus, viruses or cancer cells to get out of hand…

Pain killers – yep! Any medical pain killers are anti-inflammatory by nature (makes sense!) but did you know that the process of killing bad bacteria or viruses or fungus or candida or cancer cells is indeed inflammatory? In other words, the more pain killers we take, the more chronic infections we can have lurking in our systems. If you take pain-killers you must be on probiotics to balance your body

Vaccines – the ‘adjuvants’ in vaccines – the mercury and aluminium – are highly toxic to the gut lining and to our immune cells. These heavy metals not only make our bodies need to make more biofilm, but they destroy good gut bacteria and good gut viruses and can turn them into nasty disease forming bugs.

We have 24,000 genes which will last our lifetime. We have between 1000-2500 different types of bacteria, viruses, candida, fungal ‘bugs’ living in our bodies all the time (making up trillions of cells – this is our microbiome) – Bugs have a short shelf life – and as THEY replicate, THEY are learning how to live in OUR bodies. If we’re stressed – they’re learning to live in a stressful environment. If we’re toxic – they’re learning how to live in a toxic environment.

Kinesiology and Microcurrent helps your body to activate biofilm so that the immune system can recognise it and start dealing with it.

There are herbs, supplements and essential oils which help to break down biofilm and release old infections (so that we can deal with them) – favourite supplements at New Leaf are Bactrex, Parex, NasoClear, Herbal Throat Spray and N-acetyl cysteine.

Boost the immune system, tone the organs that have been damaged (lungs, gut, brain, throat, intestines), deal with the infections as they are released from deep inside and improve the way the body copes with stress.

Chi Nei Tsang and Reflexologycan support the body in breaking down biofilm and boosting the immunity.

We can help. Biofilm is linked to all chronic disease – not to mention kids health.

Medical research is currently in the process of reframing the way we view infections, with the knowledge that most organisms in nature, including those in and on our bodies, for complex colonies known as biofilms.

These are communities of microbes that work collaboratively and live adhered to a surface, be it a rock at the bottom of a creek, the mucosa of our gut, or the surface of a tooth.

As a biofilm colony grows, it secretes and surrounds itself with an extracellular matrix substance to provide protection and stability. This protective matrix gives the microbes within that community resistance to immune attack and antibiotics. Additionally, when the biofilm community is attacked, it retains the ability to regrow from a few ‘persistor’ cells (a special form of the bacteria likened to a dormant seed), ready to regrow when the environment becomes favourable. Alarmingly, 80% of infections are comprised of bacteria living in the biofilm phenotype, which makes them hidden, resistant and persistent.

It is important to note, however, that not all biofilms are detrimental. The biofilm is the natural state for bacteria in the body, which means the normal commensal flora of the skin and mucous membranes also exist in a biofilm. Our therapeutic approach, therefore, must not be focussed on eradicating all biofilms, but rather on ensuring the right balance of flora exists for optimal health.

We find that chronic biofilm imbalances, however, are found in:
chronic fatigue syndrome

fibromyalgia

autism, ASD, aspergers, ADHD, ODD, behavioural problems

sinus and hayfever

asthma and respiratory problems such as URTI, chronic allergies

chronic bronchitis

On average, in current studies in the U.S., there are around 5-8 hidden infections lying latent in the body with ANY chronic health issue, including so many of our cancers, autism, mood and behavioural problems. Both interesting and scary!

Recent genetic screening studies have astounded us by identifying that only around 10% of the cells in the body are actually human. The rest of these cells make up the human microbiome; that is, the sum of bacteria, fungi and parasites living on us and inside us.

Some of the well-known sites of colonisation are the skin, lung, mouth, and of course, the gastrointestinal tract. However, microbes have also been found in new places, including within the endothelium of our arteries, contained in atherosclerotic plaques; within the joint fluid of rheumatoid arthritis patients; and within the neurons of those with Alzheimer’s Disease.

It must be emphasised, however, that a microbial presence in the body is both unavoidable and essential. We have co-evolved with microbes and are dependent upon their presence to regulate our immune system, protect our skin and mucosa, digest our food and produce nutrients and assist in the metabolism of toxins. Sterilising the body is by no means the aim in treating infection.

Our aim at New Leaf is to create balance. With a unique combination of Naturopathy & Chi Nei Tsang Abdominal Massage; Kinesiology to find out if the infections/microbiome is out of balance/ infrared saunas and frequency specific microcurrent we get great results. It takes time and energy to rebalance the organisms in our body.